Distressor vs Fatso??

[sapple]

Any preference of the 2? I'd mostly use it for keys, drum machine stuff, etc. Which one provides a better 'warmth, fatness, color, character', etc? I'm looking to take the sterility out of the digital synths... used in conjunction with a $1-2,000 pre amp would a Distressor or Fatso make a significant difference? If so, which one? Opinions?

Thanks!
Jeff

www.simonapple.com

[Recording Engineer]

I've both. I like the Distressor when I want a more faster-aggressive sound and the Fatso when I want a more slower-soft-pillowy-squishy sound... Kinda like an 1176 vs. an LA-2A.

For the applications you mention, I myself would take the Fatso. But the next guy may take the Distressor?

[Rob Tavaglione]

I'd go Fatso ... more coloration options and it's stereo.

[scott anthony]

Fatso. It has all the color options of the Distressor plus a whole bunch more...

[MoreSpaceEcho]

fatso.

[dumbangel]

I've got both. I would suggest the Fatso as well. The compression on the fatso are presets you can't change, but if you use compression very moderately you'll always find a setting that works okay.

The Distressor with "dist 1", beside more compression flexibility, can give a more even and sweeter coloration reminiscent of tube technology (but not the slowness of response, there's actually an increase of high end frequencies, it's a fast sounding machine), while the Fatso has a more dramatic effect on the harshness of digital HF but only has a "dist 2" (less even) kind of coloration.

[pk]

Gotta love the search function, this thread was exactly what I was looking for. Would love a pair of Distressors and the Fatty but can only get one for the time being, mostly for bass, guitars and a bunch of synths. Seems like Fatso tips the scale...